Kopke 10 year old Tawny Port

Description

Kopke 10 year old Tawny Port was the highlight of the fortified wines I tasted in my pre-Christmas wine searches. The Kopke port house can trace its wine roots back to 1638 so it knows what it is doing and for such an old company – it claims to be the oldest port house in the world – it is adopting a very modern and sustainable approach to wine-making. Like most ports Kopke 10 year old Tawny Port is a field blend of many indigenous black grapes including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca and wines from a number of different years – with an average age of 10 years – are blended together. As a wood port, i.e. matured in barrel or cask for several years, this tawny port benefits from some exposure to oxygen which contributes to the amazing array of aromas and flavours. This still displays fresh fruits like brambles and red fruits with some floral notes and it is beginning to develop raisin, nut and cream flavours as it ages in bottle. The fresh fruit flavours dominate and combine beautifully with mouth-wateringly refreshing acidity, prevent the port from being very rich. The highlight of Kopke 10 year old Tawny Port for me is the silky smooth texture. It is no wonder that this lovely port has won a number of Gold Medals at reputable wine competitions like Decanter World Wine Awards and the International Wine Challenge – see Awards tab.

You can read more about how tawny port is produced and what you can expect to taste in my tawny port blogpost. For a fruitier style of port, try Kopke Late Vintage Port.

This port should be stored in an upright position in a cool and dry place away from light and temperature fluctuations. Sediment will form over time and so the wine may benefit from decanting. Once opened, it should be consumed within 4 to 6 months.